USMC Probes Fatal V-22 "Hard Landing"

By Staff Writer | May 18, 2015

Attack, Emergency Medical Service, Special Ops, Utility

The U.S. Marine Corps is investigating a May 17 MV-22 accident in Hawaii that killed one Marine and injured 21 others on the tiltrotor. The Marine Corps said the MV22 from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) had a "hard landing" at about 1140 local time during routine training at Bellows Air Force Station near Waimanalo, Oahu. That base includes a USMC training area. The Bell Helicopter-Boeing tiltrotor was from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 Reinforced (the "Greyhawks). VMM-161 Rein also includes USMC McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harriers and Bell AH-1Z Vipers. Based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., the 15th MEU departed San Diego May 10 for a seven-month deployment to the Pacific Command and Central Command areas of operation. the 15th MEU is part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group, which consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47). That group and the MEU completed a two-week certification exercise that included a unique training element, a joint recovery force exercise with Army special forces, Marines and U.S. Navy personnel.